Safari of my Life - Wildlife Photography Documentary with Klaus Tiedge

I appreciate the little things much much much more than than before in my life we only have one life I mean just live it how many times has an opportunity be right in front of you and you missed it maybe you're focused on the wrong thing maybe you were afraid some people think that life's journey is just all planned out I don't think that it is I think you have to put yourself out there no matter what if you really want to get somewhere alive my name is Klaus and I'm a photographer I believe I have lived an extraordinary life I've seen the world and I have experienced amazing things and one of the biggest challenges I ever had to face pushed me out of my comfort zone more than I could ever know the reason why I'm here in Kenya this may be not the reason why you I think I'm here I had to change something in my life [Music] in 2017 I was diagnosed with cancer I had to go through radical life-altering changes and learn to live with the idea that the end of life does not mean the end of living I like to share my story with you I always had this dream of living somewhere close to the beach and next to the close to the Sun in round about 2000 I had a commercial photo drop here in Cape Town and very soon I fell in love with a Mother City because it's really one of the most beautiful cities in the world [Music] my photography career gave me the freedom to have that kind of lifestyle which I'm living in now I mean I have this wonderful house here with this amazing view over the whole of Hout Bay and I mean I can't get enough of this it's just breathtaking almost every morning we go to one of the most beautiful beaches here in Cape Town to London or never walk with Nala our dog and just that gives me all the energy further for the upcoming day [Music] as a photographer and very aware of what is around me my photos are not just portraits of animals I like to see them as capturing a story and the story of the animal where they were what is the landscape and what's the weather like these all plays a very important part in that story obviously Klaus has changed his career from from being a fashion and stop photographer lifestyle photographer to becoming one of the top wildlife photographers which you know takes is a complete different approach and his pictures stand out because they are very unique you know they almost look when I first saw the mother so that's that's a great Photoshop but surely you didn't see all these animals in one shot and it's enough that were they I was there for me close photographs are very unique when I look at this photograph for example I feel like I'm right in down none of these animals is disturbed it's like you are in it the way Klaus tries to reinvent himself is I've always found quite inspiring and I think that's what he's doing has been doing in the last sort of 8 to 10 years as a wildlife photographer and a fine art photographer I've seen that same degree of passion for innovation and pushing pushing new limits for himself as well as in the category it's time again now to push myself into something new I want to go to Kenya for more than new photos but to share my journey with the world we prepared now for the last what three four or five weeks now we're all writing scripts we are arranging locations and we email contact with all the lodges where we going and finally in 10 days we're heading off dataset first it's Dean my director and cameraman and me and then two weeks later Sandra and the kids they are joining us in Kenya and the Maasai Mara I'm taking my family this time when they are desperately want to go to Kenya and want to see where I'm taking most of my pictures [Music] navigational systems the idea of going to Kenya came while I was in recovery when I was first diagnosed there were so many so many emotions I was angry I was sad I remember just sitting in the corner and crying and seeing my God why me and I realized I can't give up I mean there's still so much to do and and I family and I I want to live life is just so beautiful leaving South Africa and in that in these moments I needed goal-line I needed to focus to get out of the bed hospital and to to be motivated to walk again and to to to live I remember when when we arrived in Nairobi oh then I also thought oh my god was is this the right decision to make this whole project here and it was raining and and I was I mean there was still a big mountain to move in front of us [Music] my first stop in Kenya is Amboseli National Park the fly to Amboseli will be only the next morning so we needed to stay in Nairobi for one night and it rained all night [Music] [Applause] the taxi driver said the rain has just only begun and they were very happy because it is probably the end of the drought they just had Roby to which airport eventual rainy Apple silly [Music] [Music] [Music] unfortunately can't smell it I mean it smells like Amboseli National Park is very famous for his big elephants and big elephant herds and of course for the Kilimanjaro [Music] see this mountain there in the background I mean this is really really impressive but it was not while we were there we were there because of the elephants [Music] [Applause] [Music] two days before we arrived it has rained and it was still raining and while we were there so suddenly this is dusty area which I know this turned into green grass and and big big almost yeah legs it was just amazing to see the contrast between this very dry which is normally cut sometimes for years and now it's so green and so fertilized I mean that was just something really special one of the goals of this trip was to find Tim the famous elephant Tim yeah I've been a couple of times to imposingly but for some reason there was never the chance to see him and to take some pictures of him 'junior my guide and me we explored Amboseli but this time it was quite difficult and different the weather is very great for me if it's Moody like this but it's very hard to find the animals and then to find a good setup to make a good picture so we just kept driving and looking around all day [Music] [Music] I didn't expect to get a nipple with a baby and in this beautiful last light here because normally most of the time I mean I see the hippos in the water you see just the back and and the nose and a little bit the years and you're lucky you're yawning or they are fighting a little bit [Music] last time I was here in Amboseli it was dusty and totally dry it now it has changed completely it's a totally new picture of the Amboseli Park for me but Amber's really special I mean it I really like it here [Music] because I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer I had to go through a very long and difficult operation and as a result I must eat quite regularly and take also my tablets I mean at home it is fine but while I'm on Safari it's always challenging to have the right food at the right time [Music] this is Pascal and here have the opportunity to have a very low angle which is very important for my pictures because then the animal even looks much bigger and stronger [Music] just just just lying there was so close to Pascal on the floor and seeing him into the eyes I mean this was really with something very special you don't have these opportunities every day [Music] [Music] but unfortunately I didn't get a good picture out of this scene I mean there were good opportunities but the background with his tree and the forest was just too busy and and a couple of other things were not hundred-percent like it like I wanted to have it [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] whether requiring that and a local junior was notified that Tim the elephant was rumored to be far on the eastern side of the National Park we decided to slowly head in this direction in case of some more accurate news [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] say they can allowed you to go that what is there no 14 he still sorry looking for that elephant your commnets tried the problem was it was already after lunchtime but we thought no I mean we just take the chance we have to go with there so we had to leave Amboseli Park the National Park and drive outside somewhere for I think one or two hours [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] even if your final total approach well until my food truck here so my who are it's a fight evolving just have to expand [Music] mr. on in the back we we saw him from the distance but and he was surrounded by a couple of other big elephants and it was very challenging to come close to him because there's always some fights with farmers around so they are very very shy so we have to relax and to just to come closer to the herd they must get used to us and they come a little bit closer and this whole process took already I think one and a half two hours to get even little bit close to take some kind of pictures [Music] I was very happy to find Tim and his friends and to take some pictures but it was not the picture this was so amazing I mean we were so close to these two these elephants and I mean I could also go out of the car and I mean this is the position I really really love and I mean it was so amazing I mean I've been so close to these animals after all these driving back and forth and getting used they getting used to us I mean and when I was lying on the ground and looking - Tim [Music] amazing beautiful elephant with his big tusks and his big feet and his his ears and flapping evidence I mean such a beautiful animal [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] now we have to go back and ultimately so they also going back into the forest it looks like here we come again another day another day yeah can we do it one more day yeah you know photographers now I say they always want the best and they have the best and they think they can go better snitch out every day you see the same pictures every time different people and the climate in the way that yeah you must also challenge yourself there's always there's a chance to always get a little bit better yeah [Music] the next day I've traveled all the way back to find Tim again we managed to get stuck in the mud but eventually we did find the herd again and something happened which I I only realized 100% later when I saw the footage and when I was talking to the Rangers which were with us that one elephant came close to us and was lying down and was sleeping and the youngster was sleeping there just maybe 12 meters away from me I was very honored that that they were I mean I was there with them it was adjusted such a big privilege to be so intimate with these elephants [Music] [Music] [Music] this is not work for me this is just this is just life this is just beautiful [Music] when you get home first you wash your hands then I'll take your camera and downloading all the files downloading all the files make it back up and make another backup and then yeah have a shower heads done we're going to Masai Mara tomorrow [Music] flying into the Maasai Mara and she is just seeing this open green plains of grass [Music] I mean it was so good to see John after all this long long time and it was just amazing to see his smile and his laugh in his face and I'm so glad to be back and spending the next couple of weeks with him [Music] on this trip things were different I guess I think I never felt more alive the Masai Mara is always a great place but this time it was like canno overdrive I am here to tell my story and it was like everything around me was new [Music] you know the people you meet in your life they shape the person you become we have all been told that an important part of being successful surrounding yourself with the right people but the crazy thing is I mean you don't know who are the right people I mean until you go with them when I met John the first time in the Maasai Mara I mean he was young and unexperienced he hardly spoke English almost like me so that was a good match I went to driving school and I got my license and I was asking for driving to be a driver guide it was my dream before but I thought because of my depression is very small I don't get this but you know God say yes and I found some good friends and they sponsor me to English school when I show when I finished I came to back to my starting area where I started my life and they give me a job as a driver guide and I found my friends masu Messiah called clouds today we developed a way to work together since then I'm very proud to seed him to become a real man now he got his own Safari car he got his own brick house and his wonderful family I mean I had the chance when I met him first I can ask for more experienced driver but I saw something in him like a like a younger version of me [Music] [Music] this is our first game drive in the morning and we are heading towards three line brothers which must be somewhere around here [Music] now we are surrounded here by 14 lines they're just lying there and relaxing digesting because they'd had a kill there's somewhere lying around - hippo I could be better the position of the lion could be better yes there's always something but in the end of they just make the best of what you get it's very important and complaining about this and that is the easiest part just challenge yourself [Music] if something other this is else is happening in that side is our one human walking in a sedition position we staying we go there to go there it's always think where do we go do we stay and wait for the Frenchman says by the way bush or server whose main concern is having a complete whiskey up we just try to find our perfect position this is not a perfect position because she's walking just over the road which I don't like this elevation is still too high [Music] now it's finished when all the lioness is hiding in the bush you go and shave Sun is just coming out here perfect light but you can't have it all your mogan CF can look very magical the Sun comes out a little bit and you have still clouds and the clouds are making some shade on the grass as light and dark and light and dark just magic [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] some lines here they looked like they want to cross the river [Music] I can't see them at the moment but there must be years away [Music] [Applause] [Music] no John what would I do without you it's perfect you found the perfect spot yeah just this one kind if this could move on you don't think challenge at the moment is one car which is just behind the line and my perfect picture I mean it's amazing picture tu tu tu tu tutitu tu tu are in my picture getting closer to the lines on the other side of the river was not as easy as we thought you just have the river just behind us past it very easily but now it's the problem is to get out of this riverbed this is very muddy and slippery but John always has a plan I mean is just cutting some branches from the bushes here and you getting it okay let's try again [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] eventually we got assistance some guys from nearby camp came to help us [Music] [Music] weapons are not technical you know we must just wait [Music] I think they will sleep for still a while because it's quite coolest yes as soon as the Sun Sun comes out they will move [Music] breakfast while we're waiting pull the wide shot camera up prepared do you want coffee yeah I like it [Laughter] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Laughter] oh it's something is happening if this [Music] these are the moments were really really enjoy photography I mean you're so closer to through the animals and this environment ists I mean it's a beautiful setting here but I don't have 100% control over this I mean it's totally different now in nature photography and before I mean I don't have a stylist here I don't have a makeup artist here you can't put a screen here or put another light there I'm just must trust that no but Mother Nature is giving me the best and hope that it will happen for the style in my photos for the pride of Africa collection it's very important that ever low anger that I have this moody dark cloudy sky and the enemy must be in a very proud position proud and perfect position that's that's what I'm aiming for [Music] today we spent almost the whole day here with Alliance and we have some nice footage definitely especially that five minutes when the Sun came out and gave a little bit of light [Music] itsuka Thank You Austin rain is coming we have to leave quick quick otherwise we getting soaking wet rushing back and it was just I mean John already started the engine we wanted to go and then this couple was standing up and then they started mating and I mean you won't believe it I mean but I can show you the footage I mean the Sun came out a bit and it was wonderful footage I mean beautiful day today now we're heading off I mean you see the Sun probably on that side but on the side it's completely dark [Music] whenever in the Mara I'm focusing on on the cats so most of the time I spend with alliance but sometimes we also have to go for the leopards because this is just a beautiful animal [Music] and learn to read Johnny's driving skills and how he drives tells me already what's happening or what's happening the leopard the window of opportunity together so small it was a timeframe of it for why which is action action action now the leopard is hiding again and now we try to spot him again looking for something to hunt and they look like they left the babies behind the leper retreated back into the bush and this is a good time to have some breakfast some food in my system sometimes it's quite difficult to relax I know I said you have to enjoy every single moment and just take it like it comes you here now we want a picture you have to take your time I know I know [Music] John was sure she had some cups in the area but we have to find her and wait [Music] leopards are one of my favorite animals I mean they are so elegant and they're so beautiful and they're so clever I really love watching leopards [Music] we waited a long time after lunchtime and slowly I got a little bit weak and had some funny feelings in my stomach so it was best to leave and go back to the camp and and get some proper food we left that spot and less than five minutes later a friend of John called us and said she's coming down she's coming down and she's probably going to her cups now oh so we turned around came back to the lepers and there there was that special setting [Music] she was just playing around with her cups and it was just was it just adorable and there was no thinking about the empty empty stomach it was just just watching this whole scene and it was still raining here there a little bit you know getting darker and darker but it was just hundred percent worthwhile to come back [Music] [Music] this leopard picture were the two cups I mean this is really special I was so excited when I was capturing it but I was also so nervous that I don't have it [Music] back now to the lunch and just check the files if there are hundred percent in focus because I'm not hundred wasn't sure because of the darkness now like I said it's 20 past 6:00 it's and it was raining it was raining all the time in the night when we came back to our camp it was just like I mean normally I don't do this but this time I mean I thought now I I want to know because I knew if if it's right I mean then it's really right and so I looked to in Lightroom to all these pictures and it was like when I clicked and clicked blurry blurry and then the perfect position of all three of them and there were 100% in focus I mean I had a long exposure time I had a very open stop and it was just perfect and I was so happy that no I mean this is how it works [Music] eventually I ate something but I know this time I pushed myself too hard and very quickly it turned and I got white in the face and I throw up and but if this Dean filmed but I mean that's Farah that's part of the [Music] I think it's going virgin [Music] there shortly after this we even had more bad news I mean family arrived from the airstrip Masai Mara but we got the news Oh it rained somewhere and the river is too high we can't cross the river [Music] [Music] we might have family at the river and but which we couldn't cross so we could wave to each other we're talking on the cell phone to each other because I mean the river was quite high and was noisy so we couldn't talk to each other only on the cell phone that was quite nice and funny but then we had to make a big big detour which took us between eight hours [Music] so we have to go all the way back and almost go to Tanzania and drive along the border to come back to tolik [Music] now [Music] I mean this was also a quite challenging trip but but it was even worse was a big blessing to see the family again later men geisha camp while we were changing notches and we're on our way to an gamma we got a call that someone spotted cheetah mom with cups something was not right or something was worrying her mom because she acted a little bit strange so we followed her all the time I think they want to cross the river so the cheeto with the three cups went down to the riverbank and was watching the river very carefully for quite a while until she put first time his feet in the water she really wanted to cross I mean we couldn't believe that because I mean she had cups not bigger than this and it's extremely dangerous to cross a river with his babies don't know that is the reverse edge and that looks like she wants to cross [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] no they already talked enough [Music] yeah I think sometimes you have to take risk otherwise no you have to take risks I'm not sure maybe maybe she thinks degree the grass is greener on the other side or maybe she just wanted challenge our kids or learner kids a lesson you can if you want if you really want you you can do it just try in my life I took many risks to be where I am today [Music] I mean if this trip highly on my list was also to show my wife and the kids and Gama Mara this wonderful Lodge in Kenya I mean it's just spectacular this this view and what they offer I mean we had this how do you call this big bonfire and it was just so special and these game drives I mean the early in the morning when you drive in you steep weight down to the Mara and this big savanna with all these trees in the middle Eman is just just amazing in [Music] I didn't I hope I didn't spoil my kids too much I hope we can still do some normal camping trips with them yeah no that was very very awesome to show them Kenya and this wonderful face of a gamma [Music] the doctor gave me very very bad news he said something like I will only live one or two more years and which I definitely not accepting I mean I can't accept this because I'm still young and I still have young kids now I want to live longer because life is extremely beautiful I mean I'm alive I'm still healthy and and many times I mean I hear that people are say long you're looking good and you're looking healthy I mean also I'm right now I'm on chemotherapy and I'm also I mean I don't know how I mean I saw lots of other people who have chemo and and but I don't feel sick I don't feel that I'm gonna die in whatever half here in one year I'm too I'm too strong for this and mentally I'm also preparing myself no it's not gonna happen and it should be honest I mean I believe it now I really believe I [Music] I mean I won't survive nobody will survive but I will make it much much more longer than my doctors doctors told me I will make it another 10 years on 20 years I mean that's for sure and I believe this hundred percent in and I I researched so much in the internet and I read a lot of books and it's all in here if you think if you give up and if you think you are sick and you're suffering and it's a bad and I'm gonna do a wood burner then probably it will happen but if you fight against I mean you have a very very very big chance that you if you come through and that you will that you will win [Music] it's very happy and it's good now it changed completely very strong I can see the face [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] even though claw Klaus didn't make it in the end it's not for me like he was was loose like you sometimes say he didn't win or the cancer was beating him and I think it was what is actually more what he shows us that yeah life is challenging and you can't choose what life throws at you but you can choose how you deal with it and and Klaus showed so much courage and determination and he really saw the especially through the illness yeah the beautiful for life he also never really wanted that people felt sorry for him I mean he's he he had this hope he's gonna make it but I think this is also what what kept him going and it's quite yeah of admiration folders that that he really didn't give up [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Klaus Tiedge Fine Art Photography

Views: 352,070

Rating: 4.9171834 out of 5

Keywords: Klaus Tiedge, wildlife, fine art, photographer, south africa, limited edition, fine art prints, wildlife photography documentary, africa, kenya, safari kenya, adventure travel, wildlife photography, animals, wild animals africa, Dean Paarman, masai mara, masai mara documentary, masai mara national park documentary, masai mara film, amboseli national park, amboseli national park kenya, amboseli documentary, tim elephant, tim elephant in amboseli, big tim elephant, life story

Id: ugTThtin5Ng

Length: 63min 46sec (3826 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 27 2020